TALLAHASSEE – The Florida A&M University Board of Trustees voted Monday to name former Provost Larry Robinson as Chief Operating Officer at the university until FAMU’s President-Elect James Ammons takes the helm July 2.

Acting Board Chair Bill Jennings recommended Robinson at an emergency board meeting Monday afternoon. The meeting was called to decide who would fill the void left by Interim President Castell Vaughn Bryant who resigned Friday; she requested annual leave and it was granted, Jennings said.

In a unanimous vote, board members approved of Jennings’ choice. Jennings and Trustee R.B. Holmes said current provost, Debra Austin, would have gotten the nod, but she was not interested in the position. (FAMU’s current provost, Debra Austin, announced at the meeting that she has also resigned, effective May 31).

“I recommended Dr. Robinson because he has experience at being provost,” said Jennings. “He is very familiar with some of the major issues that are now facing the university. There are some that will require his immediate attention; I feel confident that he will be able to come in and assume those responsibilities tomorrow.”

Robinson, who served as provost from May 2003 to August 2005, is currently professor and director of the Environmental Cooperative Science Center at FAMU’s Environmental Sciences Institute. He is also the senior science adviser to the USDA Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service.

Robinson graduated summa cum laude in 1979 from Memphis State University with a bachelor of science degree. He later earned a Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. He has been employed at FAMU since 1997.